Autoamtic meter-reading apparatus



y 1942- w. LEATHERS 2,283,071

AUTOMATIC METER-READING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 18, 1940 her of the meteror account.

Patented May 12, 1942 Ward Leathers, Brooklyn, N.- Y., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to International Business Machines Corporationabimcatib October 18, 1940, Serial No. 361,809 si olaims (cl. 177-351) jand G depend upon' the position of the cylinder indicators in cyclometerIII, or in other words,

My invention pertains to the type of meterreading and recordingwhereinmany widely-distributed consumer meters are read from a cen tralreading station by means of a wire. In the present inventions recordingcyclometer in the meter of a type more 'fully set forth in my copendingapplication for Letters Patent Serial No. 349,982, filed August2, 1940,is read from a central station by, a balance-discriminator methodwherein it varies distinctly 'frommethods using resistors as describedinmy co-pending ap-' plications for Letters Patent Serial Nos. 349,974,and 349,980, both filed August 2, 1 -940.

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this application oneembodiment only of the invention has been disclosed for illustrativepurthe registered number to be read. A line 29 y from a distributingselector 2| is wired to con- Doses. This drawing is a schematic wiredia, 1

grammatic' view of ,telelectr'n'. reading system comprising cyclometerand phasing unit in the meter, a central reading board, aselectorintermediate of the reading boardand the meter, and a recorder. I

It is understood thatwhile the following description and diagram'cove'gf but the essential parts of one meter, the purpose. and objectof this meter-reading system is toread a multi plicity of meters eitherautomatically 'or manually, selected progressively or individually, asmay be desired, and asset forth in the co-pending applicationsabove'referred to.

A cyclometer counter generally characterized by the numeral 10 havingfour numeral cylinders for recording up to four digits and operating ina manner common to meters and counters,

contains means whereby'each cylinder, in its rotating makes contactprogressively selectively with one of ten electric bus-bars representingthe numerals l2-3456-78-90 each wired to a corresponding tap on awire-wound resistor 18. The said means also comprise four brushes II formaintaining circuits through said selecting means.

A stepping or phasing unit or switching mechanism generallycharacterized by the'numeral I3 is driven by an electro-magnetic coil l5which by means of an armature I8 rotates a distributor arm ll.one-seventh of a revolution. The arm ll makes contact with one of sevencontacts A. B, C, D, E, F and G. Contacts D, E,

F and G are each wired respectively to the four brushes Hin thecyclometer l0. Contacts A, B and C, clipped by alligator clips to one ormore of the ten taps, represent the identifying num- The numbers of thetops that are engaged by contacts D, E, F

tacts 22 and 23. Since contact 22 is closed and contact 23'open in thenormal position ofarmature IS, a circuit exists from line 29, contact 22and coil l5 to a ground 24. A voltage pulse it now applied between line20 and ground will cause the coil l5 to actuate. This will open contact22 and'close contact 23. A circuit now exists from line 20, contact 23,arm I'l, one the seven contacts (for example, contact G), cyclometer l9and part or all of resistor l8, to ground 25. Normally, when contact 22is opened, the coil would cease to attract armature l6 and the armaturewould vibrate, opening and closing contact 22. To hold armature I6closed when the coil I is not receiving energy, a delay in deenergizingis introduced in coil [5 by means of a copper jacket 26. When thearmature I6 is attracted, part or all of the resistor I8 is wiredbetween line and ground. That portion of the diagram above the dottedline H-H represents apparatus disposed within the meter.. In the centralreading station ten values of resistance are introduced into the circuitone at a time by balance-discriminator method. When the two resistancesat each end of the line are equal, a numeral will be recorded. Thenumeral depends upon the value of the resistor which is in turndependent upon the position of the cyl inder being read in cyclometerIn.

In the central reading station a disc facilitates the starting andstopping of the system. A disc 3! facilitates the breaking of thereading circuit while a selector is being pulsed and, while the recorderputs blank spaces between individual meter readings. A disc 32facilitates-the perforating of blank spaces between individual meterreadings. A disc 33 facilitates the pulsing of the selector 20. Everytime a character is recorded these discs are rotated one-tenth of arevolution by means of armature 35 on cell 36. A mechanism for bringingten resistors into the reading circuit, one at a time, by means or anarm 38 is generally characterized by the numeral 3?. This device,together with the resistance 18 in the meter, battery 55, and the relaysl0 and H, constitute channels for reading circuits and means therewithfor selective actuation. Another device generally characterized byreading circuits leading to ten relays Cl, C2, C3, C4, C5, C6, C1, C8,C9 and C0. These ten relays CI to C inclusive comprise a coder,generally characterized by the numeral 42, which closes one of tencombinations of fourpunching coils 46, 41, 48 and 49 in a recorder,generally characterized by the numeral 44. Each of these combinationsrepresents a digit and is punched in a tape 45 by means ofelectro-magneticallyactuated perforators. Another perforator 58 punchesholes in the tape 45 each time the recorder is actuated thus making aseries of evenly spaced holes by means ofjwhich a ratchet 52 driven by a'coil advances the tape 45 each recorder is actuated coil 5| closes acontact 52 whichoperates an electric relay 53-by'means of a battery 54.When relay 53 becomes energized itl'attractsthe armature 55 closingacontact 56..

,When armature 55 is attracteditis, locked in ""bosition byime'ans' ofanarmature 51. on a relay 58. Armature 55 may be released only byactuating relay 58 and attracting armature 51. When and after therecorder 44 is actuated contact 56 remains closed until relay 58releases it. Each time the recorder moves the coil 36 advances discs 30,3|, 32, 33 by means of armature 35, contact 52' and battery 54. A handswitch 66 is used to start and stop the system in conjunction with disc30. If switch 66 is closed and leftclosed the system will runautomatically. If it is closed and opened before the full readingofameter the system will finish reading that meter and then stop. Amotor 6| driven by a battery 62 rotates arms 38 and 46 on multiplexdevices 31and 39 respectively. A switch 63 starts and stops the motor6|. which must be running if the system is expected to function.

'To start the system, switch 63 and substantially switch 60 must beclosed. A circuit then exists from ground 24 in the meter, through coill5, contact 22, line 20, a contact 64 on disc 3|, switch 66, coil 58,contact 56, a battery 65, to a ground 66. Contact 56 is assumed to beclosed and, as will be evident hereinafter, it is normally closed 'whenthe system is inoperative. The battery 65 A and the armature l6 closescontact 23 putting part or all of the resistor l8 into the circuitinstead of coil |5 which is put out of the circuit because contact 22 isopened. The copper jacket 26'holds the armature |6 in this position fora predetermined length of time during which a nu-' meral is read andrecorded in the central reading station. When coil 58 is fully energizedit attracts armature 51 releasing armature 55 and thereby openingcontact 56. A circuit nowlexists from ground 25 in the meter, throughpart or all of resistor l8, through contact A, arm I1, contact 23, line20, a contact 64 on disc 3 I, switch 66, coil 58, to a common of the tenresistors 66, to rotating arm 38, battery 65 and ground 66. Two [relaysand 1| are connected in parallel from thecommon of 68 to a ground 12.Coil 10 is designed to actuate on 50% to 100% of the full voltage ofbattery 65. Coil 1| is designed to become fully energized on 60% to 100%of the voltage of battery 65. In efiect, a circuit now exists frombattery 65, through one of the ten resistors in 31, through one of theten resistances in l8 -,.back to the'b attery 65. Coils 10 and 1| areeach -in parallel with the resistance used in l8. When the tworesistance values in series in l8 and 31 areequal, one-half of thevoltage of battery 65 "has been opened. 'When less than one-half thevoltage appears across the coils 10 and 1|, neither coil 10 nor 1|becomes energized because the energy delivered to the coils was too low.In this case contact 15 remains open. As the arm 38 rotates itbringseach of the ten resistors into the circuit one at a time. Each of theseresistors is substantially equal in value to that of one of stead ofusing ten difierent resistors. Therefore,'

the taps on resistor l8. Taps are used to get ten values of resistancefrom only one resistor inif the contact A in the meter is wired to tap6, or in effect, the resistor representing the digit 6, the coil 10 willactuate alone, thus completing the potentially closed output or readingcircuit when the arm 38 contacts resistor 6 in device 31.Simultaneously, arm 40 will make contact with contact 6. This will putcoder relay C6 into a circuit now consisting of contact 14, contact 15,a battery 16, arm 40, contact 6, relay C6 to contact 14. Relay C6 nowbecomes energized causing punches 41 and 48 to record the numeral 6 onthe tape by a code method fully set forth in the above mentionedco-pending applications. Relay C6 will also energize'coils 5| and 58 andthe latter coil upon being deenergized will advance the tape 45. Coil 5|will close contact 52 which will cause coil 53 to actuate by means ofbattery 54. This will attract and lock in position armature 55 whichwill close contact 56 and hold it closed until coil 58 is energized.

When contact 56 is closed it shorts the arm 38 to the common of theresistors 68 in multiplex device 31. This. prevents the number 6 frombeing recorded more than once if the motor 6| rotates the arms 38, and40 past contact 6 more than once while that numeral in the meter isbeing recorded. This means that both coil 10 and 1| will be energizeduntil contact 56 is again opened. Coil 36 advances discs 30, 3| 32, 33to position two at the same time that contact 52 is closed. When thedelay in coil I5 in the meter (caused by copper jacket 26) is spent, thearma- Thus contact 23 is opened, and contact 22 is closed. The coil |5again receives voltage as explained, and again attracts armature |6which advances arm I1 to contact B and again holds contact 23 closed and22 open. When the coil l5 receives its pulse, coil 58 is energizedbecause the two are in series. Coil 58 releases armature 55, thus againopening contact 56. The B numeral is read in the same manner as the Anumeral. This process repeats until the numerals A, B, C, D, E and F areread. When numeral G is recorded the discs are advanced to position 8 by52, 54 and .36. This will cause the contact'64 on disc 3| to open, thusbreaking the line 20 to the'meter. A contact 86 on disc 32 closes,completing a circuit through a battery 8| to a-coil 82 with a delay instarting action caused by copper jacket 83. An armature 84 on the coil82 is attracted after the delay caused by jacket 83 is spent, thusclosing contact 85 which records a blank space on the tape 45 byenergizing coils 5i and 50. The delay caused by jacket 83 is long enoughto allow the punches to remove themselves from the tape 45 where theywere punching the numeral read at position G in the meter. As soon asthe blank space is recorded the discs advance to position 9. This willcause another blank space to be recorded in the same manner as theprevious one. This process is repeated until the first position on thediscs is reached. When the discs are on position 9, a contact 85 in disc33 is closed which causes the selector 2| to advance one position bymeans of voltage obtained from battery 65. When the discs reach positionI a contact 81 on disc 30 is opened, so, unless switch 60 is closed thesystem stops because if open the line 20 to the meter is broken. When inoperation the system is timed entirely by the coil 15 and delay jacket26 in the meter. After a numeralis recorded all operations cease untilthe delay caused by jacket 26 is spent and the armature I6 returns tonormal. If the armature l6 returns to normal before a numeral has beenrecorded, the coil l5 will not receive enough energy to attract thearmature again because contact 56 is not closed. In this case there isadditional electrical resistance in the pulsing circuit since arm 38 andcommon 68 are not shorted together by contact 56. Contact 56 is closedonly by actuation of the recorder which closes contact 52 causing coil53 to close contact 56. In this case, where the armature returns tonormal before a numeral is recorded, the system will cease to functionuntil an operator corrects the phase and rereads the meter.

This telelector system is timed by the amount of delay given to coil l5by jacket 26. The speed of meter-reading may be increased by decreasingthe time of this delay action, and vice versa. The factor controllingthe speed of the system is the time needed to read a number by means ofdevices 31 and 39, code it in coder 42, and record it in any suitablemanner. The time taken to complete these operations must be less thanthat of the delay action. The above apparatus may operate at speedscomparable with those of high-speed recording telegraphy.

What is claimed is:

1. In a telemetering system, a plurality of parallel work circuitsadapted to be individually and selectively closed to render indicationsof a plurality of respective magnitudes, a rotary selector switchincluding terminal contacts for each circuit and a scanning arm forsuccessively and separately scanning the contacts, a source ofenergizing current for the circuits connected to the scanning arm, anormally open relay-actuated switch for closing the selected circuitsthrough the source and scanning arm, a relay responsive to apredetermined electrical characteristic only for closing therelay-actuated switch, a second rotary selector switch including aplurality of contacts and a scanning arm for successively and separatelyscanning the contacts, means for rotating said scanning arms in phasewith each other whereby corresponding contacts of each switch aresimultaneously scanned, a resistance circuit, a plurality of balancingresistances of different values each connected to one of the contacts ofthe latter selector switch, said latter scanning arm being adapted uponrotation thereof to successively and separately connect said balancingresistances in the resistance circuit, a plurality of primaryresistances having values complementary to said balancing resistancesand designed when arranged in pairs therewith to establish saidpredetermined electrical characteristic in the resistance circuit, saidprimary resistances corresponding to said magnitudes respectively, and arotary phasing switch for separately and successively connecting saidprimary resistances in the resistance circuit whereby rotation of saidscanning arms will place the individual balancing resistances in theresistance circuit in series with the individual primary resistances,and means for periodically indexing the phasing switch.

2. In a telemetering system, a plurality of parallel work circuitsadapted to be individually and selectively closed to render indicationsof a plurality of respective magnitudes, a rotary selector switchincluding terminal contacts for each circuit and a scanning arm forsuccessively and separately scanning the contacts, a source ofenergizing current for the circuits connected to the scanning arm, anormally open relay-actuated switch for closing the selected circuitsthrough the source and scanning arm, a relay responsive to apredetermined voltage only for closing the relay-actuated switch, asecond rotary selector switch including a plurality of contacts and ascanning arm for successively and separately scanning the contacts,means for rotating'said scanning arms in phase with each other wherebycorresponding contacts of each switch are simultaneously scanned, aresistance circuit, a plurality of balancing resistances of difierentvalues each connected to one of the contacts of the latter selectorswitch, said latter scanning arm being adapted upon rotation thereof tosuccessively and separately connect said balancing resistances in theresistance circuit, a plurality of primary resistances having valuescomplementary to said balancing resistances, and designed when arrangedin the resistance circuit in pairs with the latter resistances to createa voltage drop in the circuit suflicient to establish the predeterminedvoltage for actuating the relay, said primary resistances correspondingto said magnitudes respectively, and a rotary phasing switch forseparately and successively connecting said primary resistances in theresistance circuit whereby rotation of said scanning arms will place theindividual-balancing resistances in the resistance circuit in serieswith the individual primary resistances, and means operable upon closingof each of the work circuits for indexing the phasing switch.

3. In a telemetering system, a plurality of parallel work circuitsadapted to be individually and selectively closed to render anindication of a varying magnitude, a rotary selectorswitch includingterminal contacts for each circuit and a scanning arm for successivelyand separately scanning the contacts, each of said contactscorresponding to a value of said magnitude, means for rotating thescanning arm continuously, a source of energizing current for thecircuits connected to the scanning arm, a normally open relay-actuatedswitch for closing the selected circuits through the'source and scanningarm, a resistance circuit, a relay disposed in the circuit andresponsive to a predetermined voltage only for closing the relayactuated switch, and means operable when the scanning arm is inengagement with a contact corresponding to the existing value of themagnitude for establishing the predetermined voltage in the resistancecircuit.

4. In a telemetering system, a plurality of parallel work circuitsadapted to be individually and selectively closed to render successiveindications of a plurality of fixed magnitudes, a rotary selector switchincluding terminal contacts for each circuit and a seaming arm forsuccessively and separately scanning the contacts, certain of saidcontacts corresponding to respective magnitudes, means for rotating thescanning arm continuous- .ly, a source of energizing currentfor thecircuits connected to the scanning arm, a normally open relay-actuatedswitch for closing the selected circuits through the source and scanningarm, a resistance circuit, a relay disposed in said resistance circuitand responsive to a predetermined voltage only for-closing therelay-actuated switch, and means operable when the scanning arm is in enagement; with a contactcorresponding to its respective magnitude forestablishing the predetermined voltage in the resistance circuit. I

, 5. In a telemetering system,.,a'plural1ty of parallel work circuitsadapted to be individually and selectively closed to render successiveindications of a-plurality oi fixed magnitudes and of a plurality ofvariable magnitudes capableof assuming different values including thevalues of said fixed magnitudes, a rotary selectopswivitchinclud 7 ingterminal contacts for eachfcircuit, and a scanning arm for.successivelyafndseparately a scanning ,arm for successively andseparately scanning the contacts, means for rotating said 'scanning armsin phase with each other whereby corresponding contacts of each switchare simultaneously scanned, a plurality of balancing resistors ofdifferent values each connected to one of the contacts of the latterselector switch, said latter scanning arm being adapted upon rotationthereof to successively and separately consource and scanning arm, aresistance circuit, a relay disposed in the resistance circuit andresponsive to a predetermined voltage only for closing therelay-actuated switch, a second rotary switch including a plurality ofcontacts and nect said balancing resistances in the resistance circuit,a plurality of primary resistances having values complementary to saidbalancing resistances and designed when arranged in pairs therewith inthe resistance circuit to establish said predetermined voltage in saidcircuit, said primary resistances corresponding to the different valuesof said magnitudes respectively, and a rotary phasing switch forseparately and successively connecting said primary resistances in g theresistance circuit whereby rotation of said scanning arms will place theindividual balancin resistances in the resistance circuit with the otherscanning the contacts, means for rotating the nect said balancingresistances in the resistance circuit, a plurality of primaryresistances having values complementary to said balancing resistancesand desi ned when arranged in P s therewith in the resistance circuit toestablish I said predetermined voltage in-said circuit, said primaryresistances corresponding to the different values of said magnitudesrespectively, and a rotary phasing switch for separately andsuccessively connecting said primary resistances in the resistancecircuit whereby rotation of said scanning arms will place the individualbalancing resistances in the resistance circuit with the ning thecontests, means for rotating the scanning arm cczztauuously, a. sourceof energizing currentior the circuits connected to the scanning arm, anbrmally open relay-actuated. switch 1 for closing the selected circuitsthrough the individual resistances, and means operable upon closing ofeach of the work circuits for indexin the phasing switch.

'7, In a telemetering system, a plurality of normally open work circuitseach corresponding to the value of a changing magnitude, a source ofenergizing current common to the circuits, a selector switch forseparately and successively connecting thecircuits to said source, aswitch in series with the selector switch and common to the circuits forclosing the latter through the closed contacts and a pair ofnormally-open contacts in series therewith, a pair of solenoids ar-vranged in parallel and adapted upon energization thereof to open thenormally closed contacts and to close the normally open contactsrespectively, one of said solenoids being responsive only to current ofa voltage above a predetermined minimum, the other solenoid beingresponsive only to current of a voltage above a slightly higherpredetermined minimum, and means for supplying current of a voltage notless than the lower predetermined minimum and not as high as the higherpredetermined minimum to said solenoids when a circuit corresponding tothe existing value of the magnitude is connectedto the source.

8'. In a telemetering system, a plurality of normally open work circuitsadapted to be individually' selectively closed to render indications ofa varying magnitude, a source of energizing current common to thecircuits, a selector mechanism for separately and successivelyconnecting v the source in said open circuits, a switch for closing thecircuits through the selector mechanism, a relayfor actuating theswitch, said relay being responsive to current of substantially apredetermined value -only for energization thereof, a. resistancecircuit including said relay, and means operable when a circuit theindicating means of which corresponds to the existing value of themagnitude is connected to the source for establishing current ofsubstantially the predetermined value in the resistance circuit.

' 9. In an apparatus for indicating at a central station the relativeposition of a movable member at a remote point, a line circuit. aplurality of work circuits at the central station, each circultcorresponding to one of a plurality of positions capable or beingassumed by the movable 7 member, automatic means for selectively closingthe circuits corresponding to the positions assumed by the movablemember, said means comprising a series or resistances at the remotepoint a the values oi. which are correlated with the difa series oiresistances at the central section corresponding in number to the numberof \'esistances at the remote point, each resistance in one serieshaving a complementary resistance in the other series whose value issuch that the two resistance values when arranged in series additivelymake up a predetermined fixed resistance value, means for sequentiallyconnecting each resistance at the central station into the line circuitin series with the particuiar'resistance in the circuit at the remotepoint, and means operable when a pair of complement ry resistances areconnected in the line circuit for closing a corresponding work circuit.

WARD LEATHERS.

